Beijing open to better US relations: Hu

“China is willing to work with the US side for the future and strive for new progress in China-US relations in order to bring greater benefits to the two peoples as well as people of the world,” Hu Jintao said.
Photo: AP

by
AFR correspondent Shanghai

China’s outgoing president,
Hu Jintao,
says Beijing is willing to work with the United States to improve relations between the two countries.

Mr Hu, along with his anointed successor Xi Jinping and current Premier
Wen Jiabao
, sent congratulations to US President
Barack Obama
on his re-election, noting the progress in relations that had been made over the past four years, particularly through the Strategic and Economic Dialogue held between the two countries.

“Maintaining steady, healthy and stable development of Sino-US relations is in the fundamental interests of both peoples and conducive to peace, stability and development in the Asia-Pacific and the world at large," Mr Hu said in his message to Mr Obama.

“China is willing to work with the US side for the future and strive for new progress in China-US relations in order to bring greater benefits to the two peoples as well as people of the world," he said.

Bilateral relations have been tense in recent months as China came under fire from both sides during the presidential campaign over its fixed currency and trade policies.

Beijing has also implored the US to stay out of territorial disputes in the South China Sea and the East China Sea.

And the US confirmed it would back up Japan in the event of any military engagement under its defence treaty with Tokyo.

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China and Japan are involved in a tense stand-off over a group of islands in the East China Sea.

An editorial in the state-run news website The Global Times said Mr Obama was “not likely to take a tough attitude toward China".

“However, frictions between the two countries can only increase. It’s hard to predict how this will affect bilateral relations overall," it said.

“It remains uncertain whether the US will calmly accept the fact that China is catching up with it.

“There’s no perfect political system. However, China’s current system is widely considered to be an effective one."

Speaking ahead of the National People’s Congress in Beijing, a government spokesman said sound relations between the US and China were vital for peace and prosperity.

“It is our hope that the newly elected US government will follow an active China policy to increase communication, enhance mutual trust and co-operation and to respect the other’s core interests," the spokesman said.